Ukrainian-Russian Prisoner Swap

Ukrainian prisoners return to Ukrainian soil as Kyiv and Moscow say they had swapped 100 prisoners of war each, in the latest exchange since Moscow accused Kyiv of downing a plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers.

Ukraine and Russia said they swapped 100 prisoners of war each, in the latest exchange between the warring sides since Moscow accused Kyiv of downing a plane carrying captured Ukrainian soldiers.

Moscow and Kyiv have both vowed to keep exchanging prisoners as Russia's invasion in Ukraine drags on for almost two years.

"Another 100 Ukrainians are at home in Ukraine," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media.

"All of them are ours, all of them are back on their native land," Zelensky said.

He posted photographs of men wrapped in Ukrainian flags.

Zelensky said most of the men had defended the port city of Mariupol, which Russia captured after a brutal battle in 2022.

"We are working on each and every one of them and will not stop until we bring them back!" Zelensky said.

The swap, which was earlier announced by Russia, comes amid a major military reshuffle in Kyiv.

"On 8 February, as a result of negotiations, 100 Russian servicemen who were in mortal danger in captivity were returned from territory controlled by the Kyiv regime," Russia's defense ministry said in a statement.

It said its men will be brought to Moscow for rehabilitation in military medical centers.

Last month, Russia accuses Ukraine of shooting down a military plane carrying 65 of its own soldiers, with Moscow saying they were set to be freed in a prisoner swap but providing little evidence they were on board.